Research guinea pigs (available in broadcast quality)

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This video shows guinea-pigs being handled by a researcher and an example of a typical guinea-pig enclosure. Guinea pigs become accustomed to being handled over time, and respond well to frequent handling. The researchers are recommended to wear latex gloves and face masks to prevent them from developing allergies. This clip is longer than our other video of guinea pigs, and is available in broadcast quality. The video has no sound.

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Guinea pigs fall into the category of small mammals, along with rabbits and ferrets. This group makes up 0.7% of the total number of animals used in research. Guinea pigs have been used as experimental animals for centuries; their use is where the term 'guinea pig' for a human experimental subject originated. The use of guinea pigs has fallen by over three-quarters since 1988, mostly due to a reduction in their use in safety testing. The guinea pig is also widely used to provide tissues and organs for research. Such tissue preparations were important in the discovery and early development of beta blockers to treat high blood pressure.